Hood for camera finders and the like



Nov. 26, 1929. D. c. BEIDLER ET AL HOOD FOR CAMERA FINDERS AND THE LIKE Original Filed May 13, 1927 1 gen afrzvez'nns': Jawa/c/C ez'c/Zer 577%72245 51 (5 10 5 I 7 r w w Patented Nov. 26, 1929 uurrso STATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD C. IBEIDLER AND ANTONIUS J. VIKEN, OLE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO DONALD C. BEIDLER, TRUSTEE, AND HIS SUGCESSORS IN TRUST V HOOD FOR CAMERA FINDERS AND THE LIKE Original application filed May 13, 1927, Serial No. 191,124. Divided and this application filed July 23, 1928.

, 7 Serial No. 294,718.

This invention has to do with improvements in hoods for the finders of cameras and thelike. The hood herein disclosed is of a self-supporting construction which may be directly attached to the finder proper, and which when so attached will be self-sup porting and self-righting.

One object of the invention is to provide a finder hood such a construction that it may be readily moved about with respect to the finder proper so as to permit the operator toview the different portions of the image field with equal facility; and nevertheless the construction of the hood is such that it will always tend to spring back into the central position where it is lined up with the central portion of the field of vision.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of hood having a face mask or opening which is of such a shape and is so positioned as to naturally and normally conform to the faceof the operator when occupying a position for convenient manipulation of the finder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self contained hood unit and one which canbe readily set into place or removed from the finder portion of the camera with great facility and convenience.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hood which can be readily manufactured at relativelylow cost and which will be very durable and present a pleasing appearancer Otherobjects and uses of the invention Wlll appear from a detailed description of the same which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the rear portion of the camera structure, including the tilt back, having applied thereto a finder and hood embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a substantially horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the finder on reduced scale.

Referring first particularly to Fig. 1 the tilt back of the camera is designated by the numeral 4. It is supported by vertical arms or posts 5 by the use of pivotal connections such as 6, so that the tilt back itself can be rocked on a horizontal axis extend ing through the pivotal points. The posts or arms 5 are supported from a suitable base member 7 in accordance with general disclosures of our application for Letters Patent on Improvements in cameras and the like, Serial No. 191,124, filed May 13, 1927, and of which application the present case is a division.

Secured to the rear end of the tilt back a is a rectangular frame 8. Said frame is connected to the tilt back by means of bottom clips such as 9, together with top clips such as 10. The clips 9 engage a slot or recesses in the lower edge of the frame 8; and the clips 10 are provided with perforations to receive the pins 11 on the upper edge of the frame 8. Said frame readily may be attached to the rear portion of the tilt back 4; by first engaging the lower edge of the frame with the clips 9 and then force the upper edge of the frame towards the tilt back so as to face the pins 11 beneath the spring clips 10 until the pins 11 engage the perforations of said spring clips. The latter will then slip down into place and be engaged with the pins.

The frame 8 can be readily removed by first springing the clips 10 upwardly so as to disengage the fingers 11.

Extending upwardly from the lower edge of the frame 8 is the mirror 12, the same reaching upwardly atvan angle of substantially 45 degrees. Said mirror is carried by the bottom plate or member 13 against which the mirror rests as shown in F i 1. Extending between the side edges of the bottom member 13 and the sides of the frame 8 there are the triangular walls 14 and 15 respectively. These walls may be made of stiff leather or other suitable material which is non-transparent and light proof, and preferably black. If desired the frame bars 16 and 17 may be placed along the upper edges of the triangular side walls 14 and 15 'ameter and close drawn.

springs 22 and 23.

so as to reinforce the same and also to provide more convenient support for the hood. The hood proper comprises a face mask element 18 of hard rubber bakelite or other suitable material preferably a composition material. This face mask member is in the form of an irregular cylinder the upper edge 19 of which is preferably rounded so as to avoid the presence. of sharp edges or projections. Said upper edge is also made of a contour to conform generally to the face of the operator, or such portion thereof as it is necessaryto accommodate in order for the operator to place his eyes centrally with respect to the mask 18 and with the edge of the mask resting against the operators forehead, and his cheek bones or the upper portions of his cheeks, and his temples or the side portions of the eyes. Generally speaking the face mask 18 should be somewhat broader measured across the width of the camera than its dimension at right angles thereto and measured lengthwise of the camera.

The face mask 18 is to be supported a certain distance above the upper edges of the triangular side walls 14 and 15 already referred to. This support is accomplished by means of four spiral springs 20, 21, 22 and 23, said springs being of relatively small di- The upper ends of said springs are connected to the lower portion of the face mask 18 by means of pins 24. For this purpose said pins are secured firmly into the upper portions of the respective springs, and said pins are also preferably moulded into the lower edge of the face mask '18. This operation can be conveniently performed in those cases in which said face mask is moulded from bakelite, hard rubber, etc.

The lower ends of the pairs of springs are connected to bars 25 and 26. The bar 25 is for this purpose connected to the lower ends of the springs 20 and 21 and the bar 26 is connected to the lower ends of the These connections may be made in any convenient manner as by means of pins 27 (see Fig. 1). The upper ends of said ains bein connected into the lower convolutions of the springs and the lower ends of the pins being connected to the bars in any convenient manner as by soldering, cementing, etc.

1 The springs occupy position parallel to each other and they are substantially the same length. They normally and naturally stand in such positions that they extend at right angles to the bars and 26 and the face mask 18. This condition is illustrated in Fig. 1.

28 to receive the screw or pin 29 at the rear end of the frame bar 16, and the front end of each of the side bars 25 and 26 is provided with vertical or transverse slot 30 to receive the screw or pin 31 at the front end of the frame bar 16 or 17 as the case may be. By this arrangement the bars 25 and 26 are fastened in place by first engaging their rear slots 28 to the pins 29, and then swinging the bars 25 and 26 downwardly so as to engage their slots 30 with the pins 31.

Having connected the bars 25 and 26 in the foregoing manner it will be seen that the face mask itself will be readily moved around either laterally or back and forth due to the flexibility of the springs; and the face mask will move at all times in paths of the surfaces substantially parallel to themselves. That is to say the back and forth movements of the face mask will always be performed while retaining said mask in substantially the same angular condition with respect to the reflecting surface 12.

The foregoing flexible supports for the face mask are also of such a nature that the face mask may not be pushed down directly towards the mirror. This is because the springs are formed with their convolutions closed tight together so that they will effectively resist any further collapse. This however will not interfere with the desired freedom of lateral and back and forth movement of the mask.

A suitable hood 32 of such material as velvet or other suitable light, impervious but flexible and preferably soft material has its upper edge portion 83 secured around the outside surface of the face mask 18. This hood then reaches down and flares outwardly so that its lower edge portion 3 1 may surround and depend below the upper edges of the trian ular side walls 14 and 15 and mirror 12. aid hood is of proper size to more or less closely embrace these parts while at the same time being sufliciently loose to permit ample freedom of movement as the face mask is moved around. We have found that heavy velvet is admirably adapted for this workbecause it is sufiiciently soft and pliable to readily adjust itself as the face mask is moved, but has sufficient bod to retain its proper flare and position.- I desired, the lower edge 34 may be reinforced by a wire 35 worked into a hem at that point so as to give the hood additional stiffness around its lower edge.

' It will be seen that the hood proper may be readily set into place or removed with respect to the finder, and Withou'tthe use of any special tools for this purpose.

While we have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of the features of our present invention still We do notintend to limit ourselves thereto except as we may do so in the claims.

We claim:

1. The combination with the rear portion of a camera including the translucent image surface thereof, of a reflector reaching upwardly and outwardly from said camera at an angle of substantially 45 with respect to said image surface, enclosures at both sides of said reflecting surface, and a shield around the upper portion of said reflecting surface and comprising a face mask, a plurality of parallel spiral springs extending upwardly from the structure and supporting said face mask While permitting sidewise movements thereof, and a suitable opaque hood reaching downwardly from said face mask and enclosing the upper portion of the device, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the rear portion of a camera including the image screen thereof, of a reflector extending upwardly from said image screen at an angle of substantially 415, a housing reaching between the sides of said reflector andthe image surface, and serving to cut off interference from side light, and also serving to establish a rectangular opening at the upper portion of the structure, a face mask above the position of said opening, a plurality of parallel spiral springs connecting said face mask with the upper portion of said housing while permitting sidewise and back and forth movements of the face mask at the convenience of the operator, and a suitable hood reaching from the face mask downwardl around the upper portion of the housing, su stantially as described.

3. The combination with the rear portion of a camera including the translucent image surface thereof, of a reflector whereon the image is reflected, enclosures at both sides of said reflector, and a shield around the upper portion of said reflector comprising a face mask, a plurality of parallel spiral springs extending from the structure to the face mask and supporting the face mask and permitting sidewise movements thereof, together with a suitable opaque hood reaching from the face mask to the structure aforesaid, substantially as described. 7

4. The combination with a reflecting surface whereon a reflected image is to be observed, of a supporting structure at the sides of said reflecting surface, a face mask above the reflecting surface and said supporting structure, and means for connecting the face mask with the supporting structure comprising a plurality of parallel spring each having its upper end connected to the face mask and its lower end connected to the supporting structure, substantially as described.

DONALD G. BEIDLER. ANTONIUS J. VIKEN. 

